Weekend ... Virtual Backpack

St. Gabriel School ............. September 13, 2015

Weekend ... Virtual Backpack

St. Gabriel School ............. September 13, 2015

Developing our God-given souls, minds, talents and gifts .......................................... as servant leaders .......................................... in the community of the Body of Christ.

That's the St. Gabriel Advantage ...

WEEKLY LITURGICAL READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sacred Scripture: Mark 8:34b“Whosoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”

Personal Meditation

When I hear the word ‘family’ what images come to mind? How do these images reflect the self-sacrificing love of Jesus Christ?

Blessings Everyone!

Finishing up our third week of school, things are settling, and students are adjusting to schedules and digging into growing in learning and faith. With all but a handful of students in grades 4-8 now excitedly equipped with their new Chromebooks, use of these digital tools will increase step by step in all areas. Student Council will be gathering more homeroom representative members, our Peer Leader teams will be moving forward from their leadership training, and teams of students in various clubs, activities and groups will be developing skills and talents, and enjoying new social and spiritual growth.

With hints of fall stirring up that special energy, may everyone have a great week!

Being an ally through kindness and example

Leadership is about serving to empower others

Partnering together empowers the team to be allies

Being an ally through kindness and example

Leadership is about serving to empower others

Being Christ every day, everywhere, through teaching, learning, leading, and serving

Working together in Christ's love and servant leadership for positive growth and change ...

Helping communities be supportive of youth and their ability to affect change ...

Being Christ every day, everywhere, through teaching, learning, leading, and serving

Working together in Christ's love and servant leadership for positive growth and change ...

Helping communities be supportive of youth and their ability to affect change ...

St. Gabriel School~Crossroads Peer Leadership Day

Seventh and Eighth grade students gathered Thursday, and fifth and sixth grade students gathered Friday for Peer Leadership Training to begin our St. Gabriel Student Servant Leadership Kindness Movement and Prevention Program. Through the presentations, group activities, and guidance of Crossroads School Provider Specialists Julianna, Jamie, and Camille, students learned about the change and growth we are all seeking to help expand and improve the way me make all students feel safe, connected and supported at St. Gabriel school.

One way of growing that students learned was how to used leadership skills to be servant leaders among each other and build a sense of team spirit. An important term that all students easily learned and grasped immediately was the word "ally." As allies they began recognizing how they could be a partner to each other and then to almost anyone, supporting them by their outreach of kindness. They learned that being allies and reporting to trusted adults in a new way was the best way to stop hurtful and harmful behaviors.

After this the peer leaders will be to meet regularly with Crossroads and St. Gabriel staff. They will focus on determining and learning more specific strategies to enact to lead all school peers in preventing hurtful and harmful behavior in our school, spreading positive actions to strengthen and expand the culture of kindness and respect, and to create positive and safe ways of reporting.

Crossroads, in conjunction with the Lake-Geauga Youth Led Prevention Coalition (LGYLP), will be holding their annual Youth Leadership Summit at the Auburn Career Center this Friday, September 18. LGYLP works to empower youth to be the change in their schools and communities, and is celebrating the leadership of students who live and promote healthy lifestyle choices. St. Gabriel Jr Hi Peer Leaders and staff are invited to attend.

Presenters include Alex Sheen, founder of "Because I Said I Would", a nonprofit dedicated to the betterment of humanity through promises made and kept. And Joel Penton, Ohio State grad and nationally recognized motivational speaker who will inspire and share the power of positive choices.

At the beginning of each new St. Gabriel school year, the new Student Council for the year holds elections for student representatives to add to its membership, and to broaden it's representation of the student body. Guidelines, rules and procedures were distributed to all grade 3-8 students last week. Some main rules are:

Each homeroom in grades 3-8 must elect one student to act as Student Council representative for the homeroom.

Any student in that class who wishes to run may do so (except in grades 6, 7, 8- Commissioners may not also serve as homeroom rep).

This student must be able to attend one general meeting per month (third Wednesday) and will be responsible for reporting back to their homeroom regarding projects and activities.

Candidates must submit to the teacher the necessary parental permission forms by Monday, September 14th at the latest. No student may run without this permission slip.

A Marker for CYO Accomplishments!

Send us your news and celebrations!

Please make special places in your hearts and prayers for all persons in our St. Gabriel Community:

Please keep in your prayers, general intercessions for all in our community. I know there are many needing both big and little prayers here and there, for many reasons. I was once read an anonymous quote:

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

A very special expression of appreciation and thanks to our wonderful school parent Sunshine Committee who strives to lead reach out efforts of love and support and help for those in our community in suffering!

Submitting School News, Memos, and Information

If you wish to have something included in the Weekend Virtual Back (VB) or the Weekday News and Notes, or any of our shorter email memos, please contact our Communications Coordinator, Michelle Clarke, at michelle.clarke@st-gabrielschool.org. All items must be approved by the principal and follow our policies. Thank you!!

NOTE: Also, if there are technical obstacles or difficulties in preventing you from accessing a linked item, or getting the correct information, please let Mrs. Clarke know, and she will get you the document or item or information you need!

St. Gabriel Catholic Elementary School

We are being Christ every day, everywhere, through teaching, learning, leading and serving.